Chris Aiken is an internationally recognized performer and teacher of dance improvisation and contact improvisation. His approach has been guided by the effort to link the poetic imagination with the capacity to engage ecologically through perception, intention, and action. This means the integration of our awareness and understanding of self, other beings, and our the world around us. It includes history, culture, and things that are made. His current interests include finding ways to create situations where people feel empowered and sensitized to one another, open to the unknown, and respectful of one another and the environment. Chris has performed and collaborated with many renowned dance artists including Angie Hauser, Kirstie Simson, Nancy Stark Smith, Peter Bingham, Andrew Harwood, Joerg Hassman, Ray Chung, and Steve Paxton. His work has been shaped by years of practice with the Alexander Technique, Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis, ideokinesis, yoga, and myofascial bodywork and release technique. He received his MFA degree from the University of Illinois and is currently a Professor of Dance at Smith College.
